Estanesse: The Beginning
by Dreams and Wishes
Summary: Aragorn finds a young elf girl in the forest, mysteriously lying around a large number of dead humans. At first the only question is if she will live, but the plot thickens...
1. The Finding

=-A/N: I do not own any of the characters except Hanos and Kaurea. All the rest belong to the greatest author in the world, J.R.R Tolkien. I think that this fic is a little bit AU, and I also work off of the fact that Lord Elrond is Aragorn's adoptive father. So, hence, Aragorn calls Elrond 'Ada' and Elrond calls Aragorn 'Estel'. One more note- I admit that this starts out a little Mary-Sue-like. It will change. ^_^=- Kaurea: timid  
  
Aragorn stood, his bow drawn and carefully aimed at the wandering orc spy, taking careful and silent steps as he trailed him down the dead end road. It had been just his luck to happen to get watch duty the days following one of the heaviest rainstorms they had seen in years. While the perfect earth of Rivendell had remained firm as always, the surrounding area had become one rather deep pit of mud. He had been out scouting for days, and the mud had crusted onto all of his clothing and even his hair. It was just around dawn now, and small shafts of light had just about begun to peek over the horizon.  
  
With a loud grunt, the orc reached a high stone cliff where the road came to an end. Yet just as he turned around, Aragorn let his arrow fly true, striking the orc perfectly between his eyes. It fell into the mud and did not stir, so the next arrow that Aragorn had ready was not needed. He let out a loud sigh, then slung his bow back over his shoulder and continued on his way.  
  
Elrohir and Elladan had gone to Lothlorien to visit Galadriel, leaving him to take their watch. It was not that he minded helping out his own brothers, he just was really not in the right mood to be traipsing around the borders killing orcs and questioning well meaning visitors. He was cold and muddy, and at the moment there was nothing he would have liked better than a warm bed and the blessed food of the elves.  
  
Fate had another plan, obviously. For as soon as he sat down to make camp for the morning so he may have a bite to eat before continuing on, he heard a faint voice calling out in elvish, screaming for help. He instantly jumped to his feet and pulled out his sword, then ran to the spot where he thought the cries were coming from.  
  
It did not take him long to find the source, for his ears were very keen and finely tuned, and his footsteps were light and quick. The voice lead him to a small clearing and what he found there amazed him. A number of humans lay dead in a circle on the ground, riddled with orc arrows. In the center of the circle lay a little elf child, curled into a small ball with an arrow sticking from his side.  
  
At least, Aragorn assumed it to be a boy. But as he drew closer, he found that it was a girl, only with her hair such a tangled mess and filled with mud and debris that she didn't look at all like what she might have if she were a little cleaner. Aragorn drew closer to the child, then kneeled down and put his hand on her shoulder, trying to judge if the little thing was even still alive.  
  
"Mani marte, telella?" Aragorn murmured, running his experienced fingers over the child's body, discovering that she was still alive but unconscious. His heart instantly went out to her, for she could not have been more than fifteen. Perhaps younger. Putting his hand on her forehead, he closed his eyes and pushed all of the little healing power he had into her.  
  
Her forehead was covered in drops of sweat and he could see her eyes moving underneath the closed lids. Standing up, he shifted the weight of his bags around a little before gently picking her up, noticing another unusual thing. Her hands were bound together, as were her feet. But Aragorn did not think much about it now. He knew that the quicker he got her back to Rivendell and Lord Elrond, the better.  
  
He had left his horse back in Rivendell, though he really began to wish he had it now. The girl was so skinny she wasn't even hard to carry, but he feared that he would be unable to get her to Rivendell in time. Her wound was a bad one, the arrow had pierced so deep into her flesh that Aragorn did not dare to even try to remove it. For that type of healing, you needed the skill of the elves.  
  
"Ya naa tanya?" The voice of Hamos, chief guardian of the border gate, drifts over the tops of the gate as Aragorn stares up into the drawn bows of at least fifteen well-trained elven archers. He manages to reach a hand up to rub some of the mud off of his face with his sleeve, hoping that Hanos will recognize him even when he is covered in mud.  
  
"Estel! You've returned... but what has happened? What is it that you carry?" Hamos questions, his pale eleven eyes drifting to the child as he motions for the gates to be opened. Aragorn staggers inside, the weight of the journey finally getting to him.  
  
A few elves from the gate rush over to him and remove the child from his arms as he staggers over to lean against a nearby tree. Closing his eyes, he takes deep, even breaths trying to calm himself. He is so lost in this trance that he does not even notice Elrond come up behind him and touch him gently on the shoulder, a faint smile on his face.  
  
"You have brought me another stray, I see, and spent all of you energy in the process. Go and retire to your room. Lithril will take your watch." Elrond said, gently guiding Aragorn towards the halls that held his room. He did not protest, but merely turned to Elrond with weary eyes, one question eating at his heart.  
  
"Ada, will the girl live?" He questions, pushing a strand of stiff hair out of his eyes. A soft yet faint smile crosses Elrond's face as he takes his hand off of Aragorn's shoulder. His eyes are clouded with worry, but he tries not to show it.  
  
"I have not seen her yet. The other healers are with her now. I will do the best I can to save her, Estel, but I make no guarantees." Elrond says, his voice heavy. He knows inside how much Aragorn cares for other living things and the unexplainable kinship he feels with others who walk alone.  
  
Slowly, Aragorn makes his way down the bright hallway and into his room, collapsing into bed without even changing out of his dirty travelling clothes.  
  
///\\\  
  
A wave of pain wracks my body as I gradually open my eyelids to a burst of light and a stern, dark-haired man looking down at me. Man? Or... elf? Is this what heaven is like? I know I still cannot be among the living. No, not after what happened.  
  
The only thing that convinces me that I am sadly still alive is the constant streams of pain flowing through the wound in my side, followed by the cool touch of the elf's hand upon my forehead. I struggle against his hand, somehow managing to pull myself into a sitting position.  
  
"Shh, telella. Lle tyava quel?" The man asks as he pushes me back down. The words sound strange and alien to my ears, long accustomed to only hearing the harsh words of the human people for so long. For a moment, I am too shocked to say anything at all.  
  
"Yes...better than before." I whispered, bring a tentative hand to my side and feeling for the orc arrow, then bringing my hand up to my neck and feeling for any sign of a scar. Nothing remains in either place. The elf looks at me strangely as he gracefully rises to his feet, walking over to a small basin near my bed and carefully dipping a cloth into a liquid lying in a basin.  
  
"We found you rather strangely, my child. Do you remember what happened?" He questions gently as he places the cloth across my brow. A cool feeling sweeps my body, relieving me of all my pain spare a dull throb. I choose to ignore his question for the moment and instead close my eyes, trying to relax and concentrating on the pure feeling of simply being alive.  
  
"Do you have a name?" He asks, not yet choosing to leave me alone. A small sigh escapes my lips as I try to think of what I was called before, my elven name. Sadly, I could remember nothing of the elves that were my parents, or the life I lived before. Shaking my head, I allowed a little shiver to creep through my body as I remembered the life I had been forced to live for the past thirteen years.  
  
"Do not worry... I shall not press you for answers now. Just rest." The elf says, adjusting the cloth on my forehead before rising from the spot where he was sitting, crossing the room, and then leaving. I slowly close my eyes, allowing my dreams to carry me away.  
  
Quenya Phrases:  
  
Mani marte, telella? – What happened, little elf?  
  
Ya naa tanya? - Who is it?  
  
Shh, telella. Lle tyava quel? – Shh, little elf. Do you feel well?  
  
Estel- Aragorn's elven name. Means "hope".  
  
Ada- father  
  
Kaurea: timid  
  
A/N: Next chapter will be a little longer and go a bit deeper ^^ I promise. Till then, send me a review. While I will continue it without any reviews, they do encourage me to do it a heck of a lot faster. 


	2. The Naming

A/N: Here's the next chapter... enjoy! Thanks to the one person who reviewed!  
  
Aragorn paced around in the hallway outside the girl's quarters, trying to judge how long Elrond had been with her. Had she already passed on and he had simply not been told? Well, for the time, there was nothing he could do but wait. Elrond had already refused his offer to help, saying that he was already too involved. Sighing, he pushed himself up against the cool wall and slid down to the floor, resting his hands on the top of his knees.  
  
Just as he sat down, the door opened only a fraction of an inch. Elrond poked his head out into the corridor, not at all surprised to see Aragorn still sitting there. Aragorn immediately jumped to his feet and leaned up, hopeful that his father brought good news.  
  
"She will live, Estel. But I do not know what we will do now, for she doesn't know where she came from or even so much as her name. And we both know she cannot stay here." Elrond whispered to him, worry etched into his face. Aragorn allowed himself to sigh as he thought of the burden he had just brought upon his own father.  
  
"Until she is better, I strongly want for her to remain here. We do not know who was out to hurt her, but I feel that if we send her off right away she will have no place to go..." Aragorn said thoughtfully, hoping that Elrond would be able to see his side of the story. Elrond simply nodded, then opened the door a little more.  
  
"Do you want to see her?" He asked Aragorn, opening the door wide enough for him to see the small girl sleeping soundly for the first time since he had stumbled upon her. Tentatively, Aragorn takes a small step into the room, trying to be as quiet as possible. Smiling, Elrond leaves the room and closes the door behind him with a gentle click.  
  
Trying to be as quiet as possible, Aragorn makes his way over to a chair beside the girl's bedside. After sitting down, he leans a little closer to get a better look at the mysterious girl. He is shocked to see that her face and hair have been cleaned, and that she does hold a silent beauty of her own, something he never thought possible when he first saw her.  
  
Aragorn lazily leaned back in the chair, allowing himself to doze off for the first time in what felt like days. Yet one eye was always kept cautiously cracked as he watched the girl breathe in and out, comforted by even the slightest movement.  
  
///\\\  
  
I awoke this time to find a strange man sitting in a chair not far from my bed, sprawled out in such a way that I knew he was sleeping. Grunting a little, I managed to drag my rather uncooperative body into a sitting position, so that now I could get a better view of the room that I had been lying in.  
  
Small, white flowers adorn most of the room, giving off a rather heavenly scent which I gladly breathe in. There is a window just to my right from which light spills into the room, softly touching upon my face. As I turn to examine the headboard on the bed that I am lying in, the man sitting next to me begins to stir.  
  
"'Quel amrun. Lle quena i'lambe tel' Eldalie?" The man says to me. The words are familiar yet alien at the same time, but I do not know how to answer him. Shrugging, I wiggle down further into the plush sheets, trying not to stare at him.  
I was sure that this was a man. Yet if he was a man, then why does he not try to hurt me? And why does he speak so strangely? Questions flood my mind as I look at the stranger with a curious glance. Just to be safe, I reach for the dagger that I had stolen from the humans less than a few days ago.  
  
To my extreme surprise, it is not there. A cry that is a mix of rage and anguish rises up in my throat as I desperately search my whole body for it. The man rapidly jumps to his feet and gently grabs my shoulders, forcing me to lie still in the bed. Tears of fear pool in my eyes as I cringe and wait for the blows that are surely to come.  
  
"I won't hurt you, but you might hurt yourself if you keep straining yourself like that." The man says to me as he takes his hands off my shoulders without even letting a hint of anger creep into his voice. Shocked, I lay still and silent for a few moments as he returns to sitting in the chair.  
  
"Why did you not beat me?" I asked him, looking upon him with a rather critical eye. Perhaps he is only trying to trick me, and later on I shall feel the real pain for my actions. But this place feels very different from the human village. I cannot feel death on the air anymore.  
  
"Why would I?" The man answers. Now he begins to look at me like I was going crazy. I was actually beginning to think that I might be. Or, maybe that this was all a dream, that the man and the elf were just dream- people and would fade as soon as I opened my eyes.  
  
"I...do not know." I answer cautiously, not wanting this stranger to know everything about me at once. The man is silent for a few moments before he rises up from the chair and instead comes to sit down on the edge of the bed. Just to be safe, I edge a little bit away from him.  
  
"What is your name, child?" He asks, looking me right in the eyes with a look that I had never seen before. His eyes were a very powerful brown color and they had a kind look about them, instead of rage. I was greatly surprised that he even cared.  
  
"I do not have a name." I whispered back, causing him to draw back a little in shock. Clearly, I had said something that was wrong or bad. After all, I did not know the customs of this place. Perhaps I would be tossed out of here, maybe taken back to the humans...  
  
"Well, then you need one. Do you like the name Kaurea?" The man questioned me. I was surprised. This man was being nice, way too nice. Nicer than what was normal for a human, at least from my point of view. I waited a moment or two for him to withdraw his question, but he did not.  
  
"It is fine." I said to him, making sure that I was being respectful just as I had been taught. A small chuckle escapes from the man's mouth as he looks at me, smile lines creasing his face that was not yet very old. I could not help but crack a smile.  
  
"My name is Estel, at least around here." He said to me with a nod. "Kaurea means 'timid one' in Quenya, the language of the elves." I smiled. Now I had a name, and a new place to stay. What more could I ever wish for? This was like all of my dreams combined.  
  
"I must go and inform Lord Elrond that you have woken again. He has been caring for you the past few days." Estel said to me as he rose from the chair in one smooth motion. I nodded, curling back upon into the covers, content to stay and rest until he returned.  
  
Translations:  
  
Quel amrun. Lle quena i'lambe tel' Eldalie? - Good morning. Do you speak elvish?  
  
Coming Soon:  
  
More about Kaurea's life in the human villages.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir return from Lothlorien.  
  
=Maybe= an appearance by Arwen. 


	3. The Homecoming

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews I got! //\\Forlorn//\\: Yea.. I tend to do that and then not notice it when I go through and proofread it 0.0 Thank you soo much for telling me. //\\Silcawen Uvanimor-dreamingfifi//\\: Ohhh, I think I'm going to take you up on your offer! Oh yea- Incase you haven't noticed, I switch between third person POV and Kaurea's POV. Sometimes Kaurea's will come first, and sometimes the third person will. And, later on, I might throw in a little bit of Elrond's POV. I guess I'll just have to play around with it. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!  
  
I was finally allowed out of bed about a week after my arrival in Rivendell. Everyone there was kind to me, but strangely distant in a way. I was an elf who couldn't even utter a word in her own language, and therefore deemed a bit of an outsider. My rather unusual arrival did not help at all either.  
  
Aragorn was the one who really looked after me. He was one of the few there that could understand the human tongue, and the only one other than Elrond who took the time to talk with me daily and see to it that I was comfortable and taken care of. While Elrond was kind, he was also more of my healer rather than my friend. He lay down some rather strict rules for me- I was to stray from my bed for only short periods of time, and I was to remain in the Halls of Healing.  
  
"Your heart is weaker that it should be and some of your injuries do not heal well. You are elf-kind and should not have problems such as these, yet you do. Something has taken a heavy toll on you." He said to me after he had examined me one day. He looked towards me as if I was to provide the answer to this mystery, but all I could do was shrug.  
  
"I do not know what." I managed to reply, being only somewhat truthful. Fortunately, he never pressed me for answers. His eyes seemed to hold a strange look that reflected patience and I did not know if I should even fear or trust it. Sometimes he would try to ask me about my past, but I casually pushed him away.  
  
One day, I was busy drifting in and out of sleep when I faintly heard the sound of running footsteps outside my door and beyond, accompanied by shouts of excitement. Over the past week or so I had become stronger, and was now able to pull myself out of bed and out of the door. But no matter how hard I tried, I was unable to walk unassisted to the end of the hallway. Aragorn always looked on with worried eyes whenever I tried, but he never attempted to stop me.  
  
'Well...I suppose today will be the day that I try..' I thought to myself as I cautiously sat up and got out of bed. Getting changed into something other than the white frock I had woken up in was out of the question for two main reasons. Firstly, I did not even know how long it would take me. And secondly, I did not have a maid and no one in the house had shown me where to get a change of clothing.  
  
Carefully and ever so slowly, I made my way out of the room and into the bright hallway. My hands clung tightly to the wall, but the tiny steps that I took were still wobbly ones. A few jerks of pain skittered along my side after a few moment of walking. All that I could do was grit my teeth and continue onwards.  
  
The commotion appeared to be coming from the very same courtyard where I had been brought in such a short time ago. It was conveniently not far from my room, and I was thankful for it. The pains began to increase, but I had already begun to take my first steps out into the sun. Nothing was going to hold me back now.  
  
I panted heavily as I leaned back against a magnificent stone column, from which I could get a near perfect view of the hectic event that was probably soon to take place down below. There was a huge crowd of elves gather and shouting elvish to one another, but I naturally could not understand it. I was content to merely watch the commotion from a safe vantage point. Hopefully, neither Aragorn nor Elrond would spot me.  
  
But the point that I was standing at was far from perfect. I was unable to see the two riders on horseback until they were almost at the gates and even then it was still difficult to see them. I craned my neck as hard as I could and stood on my tip-toes, but it didn't help much.  
  
I was able to see that the two riders were identical in appearance and dress. They both had long black hair that was very similar to the Lord Elrond's and they both wore brown riding outfits. This puzzled me greatly. I had never seen messengers like these before.  
  
Suddenly, Aragorn burst through the crowd of elves and dashed over to the twins, a huge smile upon his friendly face. I could hear them only faintly as quiet phrases of elvish were exchanged and the horse's reins tossed to a nearby elf.  
  
A gasp built in my throat as I saw the crowds disperse and the trio began to head right up the stairs near where I stood. As quick as I could, I began to walk back down the hallway towards my room as the chorus of voices came closer and closer to me.  
  
My breath came ragged and fast as I clung onto the walls, grappled for anything that might help me along and steady me from the waves of dizziness that threatened to engulf me. My heart pounded faster than ever as I felt my eyes roll back in my head and my weary body sink to the floor in exhaustion.  
  
///\\\  
  
Aragorn, Elrohir and Elladan walked steadily down the hallway, every footstep echoing softly off the beautiful stone walls. Aragorn managed to fill them in on most everything that they had missed while they were away in Lorien, spare the matter of Kaurea and her odd arrival. He had figured that he would tell them when the time was right and not trouble them with his worries.  
  
But just as they turned the corner, Aragorn spotted Kaurea sprawled across the floor and apparently unconscious. It was quite obvious she had not heeded Elrond's advice and had gone out to see what all the fuss was about. Quickly, Aragorn raced to her side with Elrohir and Elladan close behind him.  
  
"Kaurea." Aragorn whispered as his well-trained fingers probed the fallen form carefully before scooping her into his arms with very little effort. Elrohir and Elladan simply looked quizzically at the elf girl, silent for the time being. Aragorn nodded at them, a look of urgency reflected in his eyes.  
  
"Go fetch Ada." Aragorn said. This could all be explained later. Perhaps his twin brothers would have some valuable input on what they would do with the girl once she had healed, though if she kept up with her antics it was not likely she would ever recover. Once they had finished staring, the twins sprinted off down the halls towards Elrond's study.  
  
Aragorn was left with the task of carrying the feather-light Kaurea back to her room, a job that was easily completed. She did not stir until he lay her down in her bed, when a shiver and a moan coursed through her already weak body. Aragorn brushed the back of his hand against her forehead. It came away drenched in sweat.  
  
Quickly, he crossed the room and began to brew a tea of herbs, hoping that his father would arrive soon. Until he did, it was up to Aragorn to get the girl's fever down. Brewing the tea was, of course, the easy part. But Aragorn correctly predicted that getting Kaurea to drink it would be far from simple.  
  
"Here, telella. Drink this." He coaxed, leaning her up in the bed. She coughed once before opening her tired eyes just a little. Aragorn soothingly rubbed her on the back and stroked her hair, all the while urging her to just take a little sip of the tea. Her pretty eyes seemed to look right through him and suddenly a burst of fear shot through them.  
  
"No! I won't! Get away from me, don't touch me, please! I'll be good, I swear it!" She shrieked, her voice coming out unnaturally high. Her whole body jerked backwards and away from Aragorn, almost spilling the tea all over the bedcovers.  
  
"Please don't take her away! Merheyl, don't leave me!" Tears pooled in her eyes and flowed down faster and faster. Just as Aragorn felt he had lost complete control of the situation, Elrond burst through the door, worry etched in every line of his face.  
  
"I found her lying on the floor out in the hallway...at first she said nothing, but now she is screaming like we are going to hurt her... talking about someone named Merheyl..." Aragorn said hurriedly as Elrond rushed to Kaurea's bedside. His face immediately went white at the mention of the name Merheyl.  
  
"I think there is more to Kaurea than we see at this time, Estel." Elrond said softly as he stroked the girl's cheek. Her cries had ceased, but her eyes still lay wide open as she stared straight ahead but did not make a sound. 


	4. The Truth

A/N: I'm going to try to update more regularly from now on ^_^ So... look for a new chapter every two days, possibly three. Kudos to the two people who reviewed chapter three. I am currently unable to see the reviews due to the fact that fanfiction is slow, but I would like to pass free band lollipops out to all. This is my first fic, and I never expected to even get more than three reviews. And one more thing.. I apologize for Kaurea's Mary-Sue-like behavior. The story does shift somewhat over the next few chapters.  
  
I awoke to find Elrond by the side of my bed, much like he had done the first time he healed me. After I saw the stern look in his eyes, I was sorely tempted to just clench mine shut again and hope that he had never noticed that I was awake. Sadly, the elf lord was far more alert than I had hoped.  
  
"Kaurea...you are awake. How do you fare?" He asked me, a concerned look on his face. I sighed. That question was the one posed to me most often, and I had already grown sick of answering it. So I simply turned my head so that I was facing away from him, a frown on my face.  
  
"You screamed things after you fainted. Do you recall what you said?" My breath caught in my throat. I could not even remember saying anything after passing out. As a matter of fact, I did not even remember who found me lying on the floor, though I suspected that it was Aragorn. Immediately, I pulled myself into a sitting position as quickly as I could.  
  
"What did I say?" I asked Elrond, feeling rather suspicious. Could he be trying to trick me? Perhaps I had really said nothing and he was just trying to fool me into talking. I had not known him that long, hardly long enough to really get a feel for what he was like. Elrond merely raised his eyebrows at me and waited a little while before speaking.  
  
"I know this may be difficult for you to speak about, but you mentioned the name Merheyl. Was she someone you knew?" My stomach sank and tears pooled in my eyes, for I had not heard her name spoken in so long. The humans had forbidden me from speaking unless I was spoken to and I was also to never mention anything about Merheyl.  
  
"She was my mother." I whispered, a single tear streaking down my cheek. "And she is dead for a long time now." Elrond blinked a few times in amazement, then leaned down and stared down at the bedsheets for a moment. I almost could not believe the look of sadness that was now upon his face.  
  
"You are my niece, Kaurea. Merheyl was my sister. When my brother Elros and I were small, we were taken captive in an elven war. Merheyl swore she would find us and so she tracked us as far as she could. We never saw her again, but I had heard rumors many years ago that she was a human slave, I never believed them because I thought she was so much stronger, that she could overcome anything that crossed her path..." Elrond's voice choked and he stopped.  
  
The humans killed my mother no less than three years ago. I can still remember the look upon her face the day she was sentenced to die, the day they slashed all of her beautiful dark hair from her head and sent me away, far away, to travel with a band of evil doing men heading for the elven lands. I can remember nothing but pain and misery from then on.  
  
I leaned over and wrapped my arms around Elrond as he wiped a tear or two from his eyes, as I took comfort in the fact that I had finally found my home and what was left of my shattered family. Elrond, meanwhile, cleared his throat and slowly but lovingly withdrew from my grasp.  
  
"I will find someone to tutor you in elvish. That should keep you from wandering around before I allow you." Elrond said, changing the subject. I nodded meekly, realizing that I did not want to discuss Merheyl for any longer. My memories were probably just as painful as Elrond's.  
  
///\\\  
  
The next morning dawned bright and new as all morning do in Rivendell. I was still unable to leave my bed under the strict orders of Lord Elrond, but I hardly minded. He had said that he would send a tutor for me. I dearly hoped that it would be someone that I could relate to, someone that could be both a friend and a teacher.  
  
But the noon meal passed and there was no sign of either Elrond or the tutor her had promised to send. I began to grow impatient and fidgety. Aragorn had stopped by for only a moment in the morning and had left suddenly, claiming that he had important matters to attend to. While I did not doubt that he had more important things to do than to sit by my bedside, I sorely missed talking with him.  
  
Suddenly, the door to my room burst open and one of the dark haired twins that I had seen walking yesterday with Aragorn burst in, a happy grin upon his face. Though I gave him a strange look, I was grateful for any type of company that I could find.  
  
"Elrohir, son of Elrond." He said with a quick nod in my direction. It was only then that I noticed the large amount of textbooks that he carried in his arms. He plopped them down on my bedside table somewhat clumsily and I could not hold back a small laugh. Was this the tutor Elrond had gotten for me?  
  
His gray eyes were kind as he picked up one of the textbooks and pulled up a chair next to my bed. I had somehow managed to stop laughing and take a long, serious look at him. Something in my mind clicked, and I realized something.  
  
"You are Elrond's son?" I questioned him, not sure if I had heard him correctly when he first spoke. He merely nodded and flipped briefly through the book, humming a little under his breath. He was my cousin, but apparently Elrond had not told him of the conversation we had only the night before. In a way, I was grateful.  
  
"I think we shall start with the basics..." Elrohir said to me as he leaned the book closer to me so that we were both able to read it. Sighing with content, I listened attentively as he explained the elven language of Quenya for me, then began to teach me how to make those beautiful words flow off my own tongue that was so used to the harsh language of men. 


	5. The Life

A/N: Yea! Thank you soo much to all my reviewers! Yes, there is more to Merheyl than meets the eye. How else did all those humans travelling with Kaurea die? I haven't explained that yet.. have I.. ^^ Anyway, you'll just have to keep reading. I'm going to actually balance her life out a little in this chapter, throw in a little romance, perhaps. I'll just have to see..  
  
Gradually, under the careful tutoring of Elrohir, my elvish improved greatly. I could soon speak it almost perfectly. Elrohir said that it was because I had most likely spoken it before when I was just a child, but I could not remember.  
  
Elrond treated me like I was his own daughter instead of his niece, which I was grateful for. Ever since that night that we had spoke about my mother, he never again questioned me about my past. Some part of me wanted to know more about Merheyl, but it was easier to pretend that I did not care.  
  
I was allowed to move out of the Halls of Healing a few months after my arrival. Elrond knew that I would be happy to simply be given my own room and the freedom to roam where I wished instead of being bedridden. So I was given a room that looked off into the garden, which was everything that I had ever wanted and so much more.  
  
From that point on, Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir became my brothers and I became like a little sister to them. They taught me the ways of the elves and how to fight so that I would be able to defend myself if the time ever came. For nights on end they would sit by my bedside and read me stories and poems, always making sure that I was fast asleep before they slipped away.  
  
The one thing that I was not able to master was the art of horseback riding. Oddly enough, none of the horses would bear me as a rider, spare one that went by the name of Súltal. Aragorn claimed he was bred in the famous stables of Rohan as a horse for some powerful child of kings. I could not help but laugh at the time, but later I began to wonder if he had spoken the truth.  
  
"Now, loosen up on the reins a little bit and relax. If you are frightened, do not let him sense it." Elladan said as I again sat upon Súltal and tried to urge him into a slow trot. The stubborn yet graceful beast did nothing but stand there. I tried not to grow frustrated.  
  
"Kara orme.." I leaned down and whispered into the horse's ear. Almost instantly, the horse sprang forward. A scream of surprise burst forth from my mouth as Súltal raced quickly away from the spot where Elladan stood. Even though I was carried further from him by the moment, I could still hear his laughter echoing through the trees.  
  
I was unwillingly carried along for another few feet before the proud stallion finally gave in to my constant pulling on the reins. Elladan eventually caught up with me, almost completely out of breath from laughter and having to run so far just to catch up with me. While I was less than happy at him for laughing at me, I could hardly refrain from laughing myself.  
  
"I'm going to kill you." I said through clenched teeth. It had been Elladan who mentioned just the day before that Kara orme was like telling the horse to slowly trot along. Foolish elf that I was, I chose to believe him. And once we were inside and pretty much finished laughing, Elladan made sure he told anyone who would listen of my adventure.  
  
A few days later, Elrond received a letter from Galadriel of Lothlorien saying that Arwen requested to be brought home. Apparently there was a minor accident while she was using her dagger and she had fractured her wrist and a few fingers. What little healing it did require had been done, but Galadriel thought it best that she returned home for a while. Elrond naturally agreed with her; for it had been a very long time since he had last seen his daughter.  
  
So late the next morning Elrond informed his sons that they were to go to Lorien to fetch Arwen. I jumped at the chance to go with them, but Elrond claimed that it was too dangerous for me to leave Rivendell. Despite its beauty, it had become a sort of prison for me.  
  
I watched the three of them ride out together as envy built up deep within my stomach. I was just as strong as they were. Just because I was not a boy did not mean that I was incapable of fighting just as hard as they could. Súltal had even begun to tolerate my presence upon his back. It just wasn't fair.  
  
A/N: I apologize for the short chapter- tomorrow's chapter will be way longer, I promise! 


	6. The Journey

A/N: Okay, if anyone can tell me what Estanesse means in Quenya, I shall give them a cookie ^_^ Oh yea, the title DOES have something to do with the story. It just hasn't come up yet.  
  
I plotted my plan out for no more than an hour or two, simply because I feared that if I didn't chase after them immediately I would have no hope of ever catching up. Aragorn, Elrohir and Elladan were fast riders and it was common knowledge that the horses they rode upon did not tire easily. But I still figured I had a chance, so long as Elrond did not catch me, and Súltal was in an especially good mood.  
  
From what I could tell, Elrond was locked inside his study doing some research for Mithrandir on the effects of kingsfoil on Orcs. He was beginning to become frustrated with his lack of knowledge on this particular topic, so I felt that he would probably remain in there for the rest of the night. Hence, I thought that it was safe to tell a servant that I was feeling unwell and requested that my dinner be brought up to my room.  
  
I quickly stashed a few pairs of light shirts and pants in a small saddlebag and waited for my dinner to arrive. As soon as I heard a knock on the door I leapt into bed, listening attentively to the servant's footfalls upon the beautiful marble floor. I could hear the muffled sound of a tray being placed on the table next to my bed, but I did not hear the door close after the servant left. Puzzled, I slowly pushed the covers back and sat up.  
  
I found myself suddenly looking into the rather annoyed face of Elrond. His hand leapt for my wrist to take my pulse and I did not have enough time to pull away. So I allowed him to poke me and make sure I was not on my deathbed, though I secretly knew that for once I was just fine.  
  
"I think I am just tired, Eru." I mumbled to him as he stood up, satisfied. My eyes refused to make contact with his and I became fearful that he would want to stay with me through the night. This would cause any attempt at escape to fail.  
  
"Then rest, selde. I have work to do tonight, but I will return in the morning." He said calmly as he left the room, closing the door tight behind him. Once he was gone, I allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief.  
  
Somehow, I was able to climb out of the window and drop stealthily to the ground without as much difficulty as I had expected. I crept along towards the stables as silently as I could. Luckily, the door to the stables had been carelessly left open, which allowed me to sneak in unnoticed. Once inside, I headed straight for Súltal's stall.  
  
"Vedui'." I whispered to him as I stroked his long mane. All that he did was look at me with his kind brown eyes and never made a sound. It was almost as if he knew of my plan all along. Rapidly, I strapped my saddlebag onto his side and secured it.  
  
Then, I saw something lying on the ground of his stall, partially buried underneath a few layers of hay. Curiosity got the best of me and I stooped down, brushing away the hay and revealing a beautiful silver sword with a scabbard to match. Sapphire stars adorned the hilt of the blade and ran down across the side of the straps. I could not help the gasp that fled my lips.  
  
Carefully, I picked it up and picked off the few strands of hay that still were stuck upon it. It weighed practically nothing as I balanced the blade perfectly in the palm of my hand. A rather sudden and very random idea struck me. I quickly turned around to make sure that nobody was looking and then strapped the sword on right next to my saddlebag.  
  
After mounting Súltal and spending a few minutes shifting my weight around as I tried to find a comfortable position, we were off into the night. It was a cool one for this time of year and I was almost instantly glad that I had worn my cloak, though I did wish that I had packed a scarf. The feeling of the wind on my face as we raced down the forest path was quite chilly and generally unpleasant.  
  
I could make out the tracks of my cousin's horses easily due to the fact that they did not bother to cover them up. While I thought it rather foolish of them, I later realized that they had never known that I was going to follow them. I'm sure that if I had even brought it up they would have become suspicious and never been so careless.  
  
Súltal went faster than I had expected and after only a few hours I found myself less than a mile away from where they had decided to set up camp for the night. I could not hold back the smile that crossed my face as I imagined how surprised they would be to see me.  
  
///\\\  
  
"Do you actually call this cooking, Estel?" Elrohir said as he munched on a piece of lembas bread. "I had expected a four course meal." Aragorn laughed at his brother's picky taste in food. The lembas bread wasn't really too bad, though it had been squished a little when Elladan accidentally sat on it.  
  
The meal was mostly eaten in silence as each of the men thought about various things, mainly how much time it would take them to reach Lorien, gather up Arwen and then somehow get back. The sad face of Kaurea as they departed continued to haunt Aragorn's thoughts. Even though he never showed it, he did hate to leave her behind. But he also knew that Lord Elrond always makes the right choices, even if he sometimes disagrees with him.  
  
Suddenly, a twig snapped in the forest not far from where the three men sat. All three were up with swords drawn in less than a second, eyes locked on the location from where the noise had come. Almost out of nowhere, a small form wrapped in a cloak that was slightly too large began to approach them.  
  
"Mani naa essa en lle?" Elladan shouted out to the stranger. The figure did not answer, nor did they reply. Aragorn was deeply worried. He adjusted his stance a little, prepared to attack if the stranger showed even the slightest sigh of aggression.  
  
In one fluid movement, the stranger reached up and removed the hood from her face. Aragorn, thinking that she had reached for a sword, was at her side at minutes with his own sword balanced delicately across her pale throat. As soon as he saw who it was, he gasped.  
  
"Lle au'?" Kaurea said as Aragorn swiftly removed his sword from her throat. Elladan and Elrohir began to laugh at the elf girl's determination and Aragorn's foolish mistake. They would not cease even after he had shot them a number of very dirty looks.  
  
"Estel, you could have killed her! I would have liked to hear you explain that one to Ada!" Elrohir said as he roared with laughter. Kaurea merely acted like nothing had even happened. Ignoring Aragorn's angry glare, she sat down near where Elladan had dropped his pack. It only took her a few seconds of fishing around inside it to find an almost perfect piece of lembas.  
  
"Kaurea! Why did you follow us? Ada told you to stay in Rivendell!" Aragorn was so frustrated and embarrassed that he was ready to tie her to a tree and leave her for the orcs. And his brother's laughter did not help his mood. Kaurea regarded him with unusually calm eyes.  
  
"Oh, he did? I'm afraid I did not hear him." She lied as she flashed Elladan a huge grin that sent him into another fit of laughter. Aragorn just stood there, shaking his head sternly.  
  
"We have gotten too far to take you back now, so you will have to come with us. But be warned- Ada will hear of this as soon as we get back to Rivendell." Aragorn said with a growl as he reached for his pack and pulled out a blanket. "Now all of you, go to sleep. I want to be well rested so we can get to Lothlorien as soon as possible."  
  
///\\\  
  
Translations:  
  
Eru: Lord  
  
Selde: Daughter/female child.  
  
Vedui': Greetings  
  
Mani naa essa en lle: What is your name?  
  
Lle au'?: You again? 


	7. The Attack

A/N: Sorry I'm a bit late getting this chapter up.. I've been rather busy. It won't ever happen again, I swear! Actually, I was almost done typing it up when suddenly my computer froze and I lost pretty much the whole thing. Gahh.  
  
Aragorn forced us to get up as soon as the first light of dawn peaked across the sky. While I was definitely less than happy, I knew that I had gotten myself into this in the first place. Hence, I was in no position to complain. So I kept my mouth shut most of the time, unless I needed something.  
  
Súltal returned sometime during the night, which pleased me greatly. I had been forced to leave her about a mile from my cousin's camp because I feared that she would make too much noise when I approached them. And I knew that they did not have a high tolerance for strangers and would probably have not hesitated to shoot me. So I chose the safer road and instead decided to approach on foot.  
  
We mounted our horses as the sun had risen only a little bit above the horizon. Our breakfast had consisted of no more than a half a piece of lembas bread each. The stores that we had brought were already beginning to run low and I began to hope that Lothlorien was not far off. I had never had a chance to look at a map while I was in Rivendell, though I had begun to wish that I had.  
  
The whole rest of the day passed by in silence. Obviously, during the night Aragorn had strictly instructed Elrohir and Elladan not to speak with me due to my disobedient ways. I thought this rather harsh but did not feel like wasting my energy by arguing with him. It would probably only bring me an even harsher punishment than I already had coming to me once we returned to Rivendell.  
  
For now, I sucked up everything that I saw like a sponge. All the sights and wonders that Aragorn and the twins had grown so used to seeing were new and amazing to me. Naturally, I did not mention it. Since they had not talked to me, I vowed to never once speak to them. Instead, I began to work on a long list of excuses for my extreme disobedience. But time after time my eyes could not help but glance toward the extravagant forest that we passed through. It was more elegant than anything I had ever seen before.  
  
The trees stretched up way past where they normally did and the roots reached deep down into the ground and then stretched back up, which formed little bumps in the path that we trod along. From the branches of these great trees hung tiny, teardrop-shaped crystals that glimmered magnificently in the faint light that managed to sneak in-between the treetops. The leaves on these trees were like nothing I had ever seen before as well. They were a deep shade of green and shaped like stars.  
  
My mind was free and my heart was at ease while we followed the path through this forest. It was only after some time that my whole body began to ache and I yearned to stop and just stretch. Aragorn pressed on, for he had concentrated his whole mind on reaching Lothlorien by midday tomorrow. Apparently that meant non-stop riding, something not even I had gotten used to yet.  
  
We finally stopped on the edge of the forest perhaps an hour after sunset. A large plain lay stretched out in front of us and reached on for as far as I could see. (though I will admit that I am horrible at judging distance in the darkness) Everyone pulled the horses in together around us and Elladan got a small but cheerful fire going. Aragorn had still not spoken to me, but I hardly cared. This night was just as beautiful as the last, with the stars high up in the sky and the moon no more than a half circle. I knew that no artist that walked in all of Middle Earth could ever portray such beauty.  
  
Elrohir took the first watch and allowed both me and his brothers to catch some much needed sleep. I struggled to keep my eyes open for as long as I could but in the end I submitted to sleep. It was a silent, dreamless sleep that made me restless and nervous all over.  
  
I woke way before any of the others, even before the sunrise. Aragorn had taken over watch sometime around midnight and allowed Elrohir to sleep. Yet now even Aragorn had submitted to his own weariness and he sat against a tree with his head and shoulders slumped down over his chest. If I had not been able to see his chest faintly rise and fall, I would have thought him dead.  
  
The predawn hour was quiet spare the occasional bird that chirped back and forth to each other. The morning air was cool, so I snuggled down deeper in the light blanket that Elladan had kindly loaned me. I was just about to close my eyes once more and get another hour or so of sleep when I heard a branch crack in the forest.  
  
I jumped to my feet instantly and grabbed the sword that I had found hidden in the stables. Luckily, I had thought to leave it by my side while I slept. Evidently neither Aragorn nor the twins had heard the noise, for nobody stirred. The hand that held the sword shook a little as I waved it back and forth as I tried to see into the darkness.  
  
Suddenly, a black tipped arrow flew through the air and landed tip-up in the soil directly beside me. I could not stop the scream that erupted from my mouth and woke Aragorn and the twins up. Elladan and Elrohir grabbed the bows that lay beside where they slept, and Aragorn reached for his sword.  
  
A whole hoard of orcs spilled out of the forest. I could hear them as the screamed and bellowed in the black speech, muttering curses and foul language, The only words that I could understand was that they were coming for me, coming to take me back and return me to the evil men that were my keepers. My arm went limp with fear and I dropped the sword in the dirt.  
  
Aragorn leapt forward with a loud yell and slashed at orcs both left and right, his blade shining brightly in the tiny ray of light that dared to curse this evil moment. I ran and sought cover behind Elladan and Elrohir, who both shot arrows as fast as they could fit them in the quiver.  
  
But still the orcs came. The sun had peaked over the horizon by now and a huge pile of dead orcs had built up by Aragorn's feet. I began to wonder why they had gone through all the trouble to get me back. I was nothing to them, just a useless child that was the result of a kidnapping. They had no reason to come for me.  
  
As could only be expected, Aragorn began to grow weary. He was not as quick with the sword and he soon found himself surrounded by a circle of orcs. The twins had run out of arrows long ago and had resorted to using small daggers that were usually used to bring down rabbits. I knew that they would not last much longer.  
  
"Kaurea! Pull out of here! Ride to Lothlorien; we cannot defeat them!" Aragorn cried to me as the orcs closed in around him. I could see the foul beasts all over him as they crushed him down but I barely heard myself as I yelled to him, as I cried and watched in pain.  
  
The next thing I know, I had sunk down to my knees and begun to rock back and forth. Memories flooded my mind and I watched as the orcs fell, one by one until they were all dead, every last one of them. The world swam in front of my eyes as I struggled to remain conscious and to keep my eyes on the twins as they pulled Aragorn out from under the huge pile of dead orcs.  
  
The tears streamed down my face faster and faster but I made no noise that I could hear. My whole body was numb and I finally collapsed into a huddled ball as I called out in elvish for someone to please help me. 


	8. The Sorrow

A/N: Wow, It's taken me a long time to update this! But now I'm on spring break and I have the whole week to finish this little story off. Look for a nice, comfortable conclusion within the next few chapters.  
  
"Kaurea..." The first thing that I heard was Aragorn's voice as he whispered to me and shook me just a little. I then heard someone moan in such a hollow, sad voice. It even took me a little before I realized that the moan had passed through my own lips. I slowly managed to open my eyes and blink a few times, shocked at the darkness that stared back at me.  
  
"Night has fallen already. We had to carry you all day because we could not wake you." Aragorn's face quickly appeared above mine as he helped me to sit up. I could see Elrohir and Elladan feeding a small fire just a few feet away. Though they pretended to be hard at work, I could tell that they were watching me with worried eyes. After a quick cough to clear my throat, I turned back to address Aragorn.  
  
"What happened?" I questioned him, my voice weak and raspy after having screamed words that I could not even remember. All the orcs died, but I could not recall if one of the twins had killed them. I couldn't have killed them. My hand unconsciously reached around fiddled with the torn sleeve of my cloak. A cold wind blew in from the north and my teeth could not help but chatter.  
  
"Kaurea.. I think you have a sort of a...gift." Aragorn said. His voice sounded odd to my ears. Slowly, he picked me up and tightly wrapped another blanket around me, then carried me closer to the fire to keep me from becoming cold. While it did help a little, shivers still continued to creep up my spine.  
  
"Ada once told me that there was something...strange about his sister. I do not know the whole story, but I feel that you might have inherited this." Aragorn's eyes would not meet mine and I did not know why. I wanted so badly to just stand up and run away from him, for I could almost sense the fear in his voice. He thought that I was dangerous. He didn't trust me. He didn't care about me.  
  
"No.. stay away from me!" I shouted as I kicked the blankets away and struggled, trying to fight the tears that pooled in my eyes. Quickly, he threw me down to the ground and pinned me there, just as he had done so many months ago. This time I allowed the tears to fall, to let the yells out and free the anguish deep inside me.  
  
Aragorn said nothing, but only stood back and waited for my tears to cease and my spirit to calm. It was now I who could not look Aragorn in the eye. Now I feared what I would see, and I knew I could never trust him again. Not if he could never trust me to control my "gift".  
  
I fell into a fitful sleep by the fireside. Elladan had offered me some lembas bread earlier, but I simply ignored him. I felt bad about it, but I could not ignore the fact that he probably thought of me as dangerous as well. Though I used to think of them as close to me as brothers, I now thought of them as nothing more than betrayers.  
I found Súltal hitched up with the other horses the next morning and wasted no time in getting her packed up and ready to leave. I could not stand to spend another moment around my cousins. Especially after what had happened just the night before.  
  
The fire had long since died out and all three of them were still sound asleep, so I would have no trouble sneaking away and being able to make it to Lothlorien without being noticed. A small part of me wished to return to Rivendell, which had almost become like a second home to me. I also knew that Aragorn would inform Ada about what had happened as soon as possible.  
  
I stole enough food from the packs that were lying around on the ground for the rest of the journey, as I paid no attention to the little voice in my head telling me that what I was doing was wrong. 'Not half as wrong as the way they treated me.' I thought to myself as I secured all of my luggage up on Súltal.  
  
Suddenly, I felt the gentle touch of cold steel on my throat just as I was about to mount. I quickly whirled around to find Aragorn there, a determined look on his face. For a moment, I could not speak. How had had he heard me as I prepared to leave?  
  
"If you leave, they will find you and take you away." Aragorn said. His voice was cold towards me, but also sad. "The orcs that attacked us did not just do it for fun. They want you, and they know what gift you have. I do not, but I feel that it is powerful. If they find you, I do not know what will happen: to you, and to the rest of this earth."  
  
Fear flooded every vein in my body as I collapsed into Aragorn's arms and sobbed. He was right, and I knew it. Whether I liked it or not, I was forced to stay with them and plow on to Lothlorien or strike out on my own and risk capture. I didn't even think that I would be able to go back to the terror of the life I lived before coming to Rivendell.  
  
"Shh, telella." It had been so long since he had called me anything but Kaurea. Simply knowing that I was still his little elf was enough to convince me that he still did care for me, and still would care for me through whatever might come my way. His calloused hand gently stroked my hair and held me until my sobs eased, until I was able to walk over and help him to wake Elrohir and Elladan so that we might continue on our way. 


	9. The Mirror

The day was a long one, but we reached Lothlorien before the sun set. Neither the twins nor Aragorn had said anything to me throughout the whole rest of the journey, leaving me to ponder. There were so many things that I did not understand; so many things that I could not muster up the courage to. All that I knew was that I had the power to kill and to kill without warning or mercy. And I feared it, feared for my brother's safety and for my own.  
  
A maid showed me to one of the guest rooms that night and then I was left alone. It had been a long time since I had ever felt like such an outsider. Aragorn could even sense it; for I put up no signs of protest after he left to visit with Arwen and his grandmother. Instead I allowed sleep to take me, praying that if anything happened to me, my death would be quick.  
  
Yet I awoke the next morning with a fresh sense of hope. I still had no desire to see or speak with anyone, so I instead decided to take a short walk in Lorien. The whole forest was new to me and my heart sought to explore it. So I wrapped myself in a clean cloak and set out into the morning air, promising that I would try to enjoy myself as much as possible.  
  
The path that I chose to stroll upon was well worn but still beautiful, at least in my eyes. I could hear the quiet song of the Lorien birds echoing gracefully through the trees as I gently lowered myself down upon a small stone bench that lay in a clearing. There was not another soul anywhere to be seen, so I simply enjoyed being on my own.  
  
Small stabs of pain suddenly flashed through my head as I remembered the events of the night before last. A laugh threatened to burst from my throat as I realized how angry Aragorn might be if he were to find me out of my bed. Though I still held a little bit of anger towards him, most of it had greatly diminished through a good night's rest.  
  
"Are you sure that you should be wandering, Lady Kaurea?" A light voice called to me from behind. I immediately spun around, only to find my eyes falling upon a hooded she-elf with long, blond curls. She had a regal feel about her, but I was still unsure.  
  
"That is indeed a good question, yet I have two for you. How is it that you know my name and how did you know I was here?" The lady seemed to find some sort of humor in my words, for she chuckled and beckoned for me to come closer. I obeyed, but warily.  
  
"I know most things about you. I know that you are the niece of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. And I know that you are troubled by things that few can understand." I frown only a little as she gently guides me over to the edge of a small basin of water, still a little more suspicious than I really had the right to be. "Gaze into the mirror. It may help you; or it may still cause you more harm."  
  
It was now that things began to sink in. The basin of water was the mirror of Galadriel, which would mean that the lady allowing me to look into it would have to be none other that the Lady of the Woods herself. I gave a hesitant glance back as her before leaning over the basin and allowing the pictures to flow into my mind.  
  
At first I could see nothing but light, which quickly gave way to the sight of a ship sailing away into the west as the sun set. This picture alone did not trouble me, but the feeling that Ada was on it did. The visions and bits of time that I saw after that showed me things that I never wish to repeat, horrible things and dangerous things. I watched the city of Minas Tirth burn and the leaves of Lothlorien fade. The last haunting image was that of a single, golden ring lying quietly in the bottom of a desk drawer, pulsing with power. It was then that I pulled away.  
  
"Middle Earth will fall." I mumbled, feeling that could be the only explanation for the horrible things I had witnessed. Galadriel just smiled and slowly led me away from the mirror and back to the bench where I had been sitting before.  
  
"Perhaps. Not any one person or elf can tell which path fate will turn down. All that I know is that you will be needed and must not give into grief. The gift that you have is powerful and deadly, that is true. Yet as long as you use it for only good, nothing but good can come from it." Her words were wise and they soothed what little hurt was still in my heart.  
  
"Go back and seek Aragorn. Then as soon as he is ready to depart, go with him. For no good can come of you not trusting your own soul." These were the lady's last words for me, for I then began to cry and I fled back to the main hall where I knew I would find my brother. 


	10. The Ending

"Aragorn!" I burst into the dining hall completely out of breath, but not caring. I also did not care about the numerous stares that I received from the small mixture of elves and men that sat around the breakfast table. All I wanted was to tell him how sorry I was, how sorry for everything from tagging along after him to Lorien to even having been a bit snappy sometimes.  
  
Aragorn quickly pushed his chair back from the table and guided my away from the prying eyes of the others sitting there. I could see a hint of concern buried deep in his brow, so I tried to quickly ward it off by flashing him a small smile. Before he even had a chance to ask me what was wrong, the words just tumbled out of my mouth.  
  
"I'm just so sorry for being such a burden lately. I...just wanted to belong, to feel more..." I now couldn't quite muster the words for the feelings that I felt. So I let silence take over as I watched the smile grow on Aragorn's scruffy face. It was then that he wrapped his arms around me and embraced me.  
  
"You do belong. Never let yourself think that you do not. You are just like a sister to me and the twins and like a daughter to Ada." He said as I smiled. The rest of the room was silent and I began to realize that all eyes were on us. Instead of getting angry, Aragorn turned back to the small crowd with his hand clasped in mine.  
  
"In a few days we will ride back to Rivendell. And that means all of us- my brothers, Arwen..." He paused for a moment, looking down at me. I simply smiled back up at him and wiped the few tears the gathered in my eyes. This time they were not tears of sorrow, but rather ones of joy. "And my sister, the Lady Kaurea."  
  
-Four Days later- Arrival back in Rivendell-  
  
I cannot explain the joy that my heart felt as I crossed back in the realm of Rivendell, the place that I now know to call my home. It had been only a little more than a week, but during that time I had grown more than I ever had before. I had gained more as well- a home and a family that would never leave me. I sat upon Sutal and pondered this as we passed through the gates of the Last Homely House.  
  
Ada stood upon the steps of the city, watching the horizon carefully with his hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the late afternoon sun. It was not until I had quickly dismounted from my horse and began to run towards him that he noticed me. I had given no care to the fact that my dress and traveling cloak were in disarray nor that I had just left my beloved horse standing there. All that mattered was that I was where I belonged.  
  
"Ada!" I cried as I ran to him. He scooped me up into his arms and swung me around, a happy look upon his face and upon mine. I could hear the hoofbeats of my brother's horses not far behind me and then the footfalls as they raced to greet the man who had cared so much for them.  
  
"It is good to see you again. I have heard of your adventures and though I am less than happy about you sneaking away, I assume that Galadriel has given you proper council already." He said as he placed me back down upon the ground and embraced his sons. I was still feeling guilty over something that I had not thought about in a while. Quietly, I withdrew the sword that I had found buried in the haystack the night I ran away.  
  
"I found this in the stables the night I left. Perhaps you know who it belongs to." I said quietly as I held it out to him. My father took it in his hands and held it up to the dying light, carefully reading the inscription upon the scabbard, the inscription that I had failed to notice earlier.  
  
"I just think I might." He said to me as he handed the delicate sword back. "It was suppose to be a gift for when Estel was going to teach you to fight, but I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to give it to you." I smiled and hugged him again as I refastened the sword around my waist.  
  
"Ada....I have just one more thing to ask. Would you please tell me about my mother?" I knew that this was a painful subject for him, but I could not help wanting to know. He sighed and slowly waved my brothers away. Gently, we sat down together upon a small step.  
  
"Merheyl was... special, in a way. She had a gift that runs through the blood of our family, though some might call it a curse. Whenever she was angered enough, her mind held the power to kill without even touching the victim." He closed his eyes for a moment and smiled, almost as if he were remembering something that had passed long ago. "It is a gift that I call the Estanesse, for it will always be present in the blood of the first born child in my family."  
  
It now all made perfect sense to me and I was finally at peace. I wasn't a freak or anything to fear. As long as I controlled this power, I would be able to live like I always had. Like my mother had. So I snuggled close to my Ada and said nothing, perfectly content to lie in his arms for as long as I could. Slowly, sleep overtook me and I drifted away.  
  
The End  
  
A/N- Yup, that's it. Well, for this little story anyway. I like Kaurea so much that I'm working on a story about her set during the War of the Ring (incase you didn't notice, this one is definitely set either pre WOTR or AU) So look for it coming soon. Till then, toodles and thanks to all my loyal reviewers! 


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